Parking assistance method, parking assistance device, and program

Abstract

This parking assistance method comprises: acquiring, from a server (50) that stores information, standby information pertaining to a standby candidate position at which a host vehicle (Vh) can stand by around a parking position and a standby environment in which the host vehicle (Vh) is to stand by for parking; and setting a standby position at which the host vehicle (Vh) is to stand by on the basis of the standby information.

Description

Parking assistance method, parking assistance device, and program

[0001] The present invention relates to a parking assistance method, a parking assistance device, and a program.

[0002] Patent Literature 1 discloses an autonomous parking system. The autonomous parking system includes an autonomous vehicle that can drive autonomously without the involvement of an occupant, and a mechanical parking device. The autonomous parking system automatically drives the autonomous vehicle, from which the occupant disembarks in front of a building entrance, into the mechanical parking device. The autonomous parking system automatically drives the autonomous vehicle that has exited the mechanical parking device and stops it in front of the building entrance.

[0003] JP 2017-214800 A

[0004] In a facility where multiple vehicles take turns using a parking space, such as the mechanical parking system described in Patent Document 1, a vehicle that arrives at the parking space later must wait near the parking space until the preceding vehicle has finished using the parking space. The method disclosed in Patent Document 1 assumes that only autonomous vehicles will use the parking space, and does not take into account manually driven vehicles that are driven by a driver. Manually driven vehicles have greater variability in their driving paths compared to autonomous vehicles, which can lead to interference between vehicles and make smooth parking difficult.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a parking assistance method, a parking assistance device, and a program that enable smooth parking by optimizing the waiting position of a vehicle waiting to be parked.

[0006] A parking assistance method according to one aspect of the present invention includes obtaining waiting information regarding candidate waiting positions where the vehicle can wait around the parking position and the waiting environment in which the vehicle will wait for parking from an external device that stores information, and setting a waiting position where the vehicle will wait based on the waiting information.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, the waiting position of a vehicle waiting to be parked can be optimized, thereby enabling smooth parking.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a parking assistance system according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a parking assistance device according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a server according to this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a parking assistance method executed by a controller of the parking assistance device. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process for setting a waiting position. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating candidate waiting positions when a first user vehicle and a second user vehicle enter the first and second parking positions, respectively. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating candidate waiting positions when a first user vehicle exits the first parking position and a second user vehicle enters the second parking position. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating candidate waiting positions when a first user vehicle and a second user vehicle exit the first and second parking positions, respectively.

[0009] The parking assistance system according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, the parking assistance system is applied to a parking lot equipped with a first parking facility PF1 and a second parking facility PF2. The parking lot has a site Ap on which vehicles can travel when using the first and second parking facilities PF1 and PF2.

[0010] The first parking facility PF1 has a first parking position Pt1 used for parking. The first parking facility PF1 is, for example, a mechanical parking device and can store multiple vehicles. The first parking position Pt1 is used in rotation by multiple vehicles. Below, an overview of the mechanical parking device as the first parking facility PF1 will be described.

[0011] When parking a vehicle in the first parking facility PF1, the driver stops the vehicle near the first parking position Pt1. When the driver performs a parking operation using the operation panel of the first parking facility PF1, the parking device operates. A loading platform (pallet) for loading the vehicle is located at the first parking position Pt1. The driver moves the vehicle from the parking position and parks it at the first parking position Pt1. After the driver disembarks, the parking device moves the pallet and the vehicle loaded on it to a storage space prepared within the parking facility or underground. Multiple storage positions are prepared in the parking space, and the pallet is stored in a predetermined storage position. This completes the storage of the vehicle. Once the storage of the vehicle is complete, the first parking position Pt1 is vacant, making the first parking position Pt1 available for a new vehicle. On the other hand, if the driver wishes to use the vehicle stored in the first parking facility PF1, the driver uses the operation panel of the first parking facility PF1 to perform a vehicle call operation. When the parking device operates in response to this operation, the pallet carrying the target vehicle is moved from the storage position to the first parking position Pt1. The driver can then exit the vehicle from the first parking position Pt1. Once the vehicle has exited the first parking position Pt1, a new vehicle can use the first parking position Pt1. The first parking facility PF1 has one entrance / exit, and the vehicle passes through the same entrance / exit when entering and exiting the first parking position Pt1. When entering the first parking position Pt1, the vehicle passes through the entrance / exit while moving forward. On the other hand, when the driver performs a vehicle recall operation, the pallet is set at the first parking position Pt1 with its front and rear reversed. Therefore, when the vehicle exits the first parking position Pt1, the vehicle also passes through the entrance / exit while moving forward. Note that the direction of the vehicle when exiting varies depending on the type of first parking facility PF1, and it may pass through the entrance / exit while moving backward.

[0012] In this specification, the situation in which the first parking position Pt1 is utilized refers to a situation in which the first parking position Pt1 is occupied by a vehicle. In this embodiment, the situation in which the first parking facility PF1 is utilized also includes the situation from when the vehicle is parked near the first parking position Pt1 until the vehicle is parked at the first parking position Pt1, and the situation from when the vehicle leaves the first parking position Pt1.

[0013] The second parking facility PF2 is located adjacent to the first parking facility PF1 and has a second parking position Pt2 used for parking. The configuration of the second parking facility PF2 is the same as the configuration of the first parking facility PF1, so details thereof will be omitted.

[0014] In such a parking lot, when the host vehicle Vh attempts to park in the first or second parking facility PF1, PF2, the first or second parking position Pt1, Pt2 may be in use by another vehicle. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a second vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the "first user vehicle") Vo1 using the first parking position Pt1 and a second vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the "second user vehicle") Vo2 using the second parking position Pt2. The first user vehicle Vo1 is a vehicle that plans to park in the first parking position Pt1 and is parked near the first parking position Pt1. The second user vehicle Vo2 is a vehicle that plans to exit the second parking position Pt2 and is parked in the second parking position Pt2. The host vehicle Vh must wait within the site Ap until the first or second user vehicle Vo1, Vo1 leaves the first or second parking position Pt1, Pt2. However, depending on the waiting position of the host vehicle Vh, it may interfere with the travel route of the first or second user vehicle Vo1, Vo2, making it difficult to park smoothly. Therefore, the parking assistance system according to this embodiment aims to optimize the waiting position of the host vehicle Vh waiting to use the first or second parking facility PF1, PF2.

[0015] The parking assistance system according to this embodiment will be described below using as an example a situation in which the vehicle Vh is parked in the first parking position Pt1 of the first parking facility PF1 in the parking lot shown in FIG.

[0016] The parking assistance system according to this embodiment is composed of a parking assistance device 10, a server 50, and a management device 70. The server 50 and the management device 70 do not need to be separate devices, and the server 50 may be a concept that includes the management device 70, or the management device 70 may be a concept that includes the server 50.

[0017] The parking assistance device 10 is a device that assists in parking into a predetermined parking position and is mounted on the host vehicle Vh. As shown in Fig. 2, the parking assistance device 10 includes a camera 11, an object detection sensor 12, a GPS receiver 13, a status sensor 14, a communication device 15, an actuator 16, and a controller 17.

[0018] The camera 11 is mounted on the host vehicle Vh and captures images of the road surface around the host vehicle Vh. The object detection sensor 12 detects objects around the host vehicle Vh. The GPS receiver 13 receives radio waves from multiple GPS satellites and calculates the position of the host vehicle Vh. The status sensor 14 includes various sensors for detecting the status of the host vehicle Vh. For example, the status sensor 14 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the host vehicle Vh and a steering angle sensor that detects the angle of the steering wheels of the host vehicle Vh. The communication device 15 wirelessly communicates with communication devices included in external devices such as the server 50, the management device 70, and other vehicles (including the first and second use vehicles Vo1 and Vo2). The actuator 16 includes a steering actuator, an accelerator opening actuator, a brake control actuator, and a shift actuator. The steering actuator controls the steering direction and steering amount of the wheels. The accelerator opening actuator controls the accelerator opening. The brake control actuator controls the braking operation of the brake device. The shift actuator controls the shift. By controlling the actuator 16, the controller 17 can automatically execute one or more vehicle controls among a plurality of vehicle controls such as steering control, braking force control, driving force control, and shift control.

[0019] The controller 17 controls the parking assistance device 10. The controller 17 is configured, for example, as a computer, and includes a processor 17a and a storage device 17b. The processor 17a is, for example, a CPU. The storage device 17b is configured with memories such as ROM and RAM. The functions of the controller 17 are realized, for example, by the processor 17a executing a computer program stored in the storage device 17b.

[0020] In this embodiment, the controller 17 performs parking control. The parking control is a function that automatically executes one or more vehicle controls among a plurality of vehicle controls, such as steering control, braking force control, driving force control, and shift control, to autonomously drive the host vehicle Vh from the current position to a target position (typically, the first parking position Pt1) and park the host vehicle Vh at the target position.

[0021] To perform parking control, the controller 17 stores information about registered locations previously registered by the user. The information about the registered locations includes map information about the area surrounding the registered location. This map information is generated by parking the host vehicle Vh at the registered location in advance. That is, the map information is generated based on images of the registered location and its surroundings obtained by the camera 11 and detection data obtained by the object detection sensor 12. The map information is generated based on feature points on the road surface obtained from the images and point data to the object. The controller 17 can generate a driving route for the host vehicle Vh to travel from its current position to a target position based on the map information. The controller 17 can autonomously drive the host vehicle Vh along the generated driving route by comparing the map information with the environment in which the host vehicle Vh is actually traveling (the image from the camera 11 and the detection data from the object detection sensor 12). In this embodiment, the first parking position Pt1 is registered in the controller 17 as a registered location.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3 , the server 50 includes a controller 51 , a communication device 52 , and a parking lot database 53 .

[0023] The controller 51 creates and updates the parking lot database 53. The controller 51 is configured, for example, as a computer, and includes a processor 51a and a storage device 51b. The processor 51a is, for example, a CPU. The storage device 51b is configured with memories such as ROM and RAM. The functions of the controller 51 are realized, for example, by the processor 51a executing a computer program stored in the storage device 51b.

[0024] The communication device 52 performs wireless communication with communication devices provided in external devices such as the management device 70, the subject vehicle Vh, and other vehicles (including the first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2).

[0025] The parking lot database 53 is a database that manages parking lot information. The parking lot information is information about a parking lot that includes a first parking facility PF1 and a second parking facility PF2, and includes waiting information and route information.

[0026] The waiting information includes information on the usage status of the first and second parking positions Pt1, Pt2, i.e., the presence or absence of the first and second vehicles Vo1, Vo2, the positions of the first and second vehicles Vo1, Vo2, and whether they are entering or leaving.

[0027] The waiting information further includes candidate waiting positions around the first and second parking positions Pt1 and Pt2 where the host vehicle Vh can wait. The candidate waiting positions included in the waiting information refer to all candidate waiting positions within the parking lot Ap, including positions that are currently occupied by waiting vehicles and therefore cannot actually be used by the host vehicle Vh to wait.

[0028] The parking lot database 53 stores information on actual waiting positions, which are positions where waiting vehicles have actually waited in the past, based on information transmitted from the management device 70, which will be described later. The above-mentioned candidate waiting positions are set by the controller 51 based on the history of past actual waiting positions. For example, the controller 51 uses statistical methods such as the average or median to set positions where vehicles frequently wait as candidate waiting positions based on the history of past actual waiting positions. If there are multiple positions that are frequently used as actual waiting positions, the controller 51 can set multiple candidate waiting positions. If there are multiple waiting positions in a parking lot, each waiting position is assigned a priority within the parking lot. The concept of priority will be described later.

[0029] The parking lot database 53 may collectively store the actual waiting position history of all vehicles that have used the parking lot, or may store the past actual waiting position history for each vehicle. In this case, the controller 51 may process the actual waiting position history for each vehicle and set a candidate waiting position for each vehicle. Furthermore, the candidate waiting positions may not only be positions extracted by statistical processing, but also the past actual waiting position history itself.

[0030] The waiting information further includes information regarding the waiting environment in which the vehicle is waiting to park. The waiting environment includes the number and locations of currently waiting vehicles. The waiting vehicles are vehicles waiting to use the first and second parking positions Pt1 and Pt2, excluding the first and second vehicles Vo1 and Vo2. The waiting environment may include the waiting order of the vehicle Vh, which is the order in which the vehicle will wait until it can use the first and second parking positions Pt1 and Pt2. If there are multiple waiting vehicles, the waiting order may be set in order of earliest arrival time at the parking lot. For example, if there are two waiting vehicles ahead of the vehicle Vh, the vehicle Vh will be third in the waiting order. The waiting environment may also include non-waiting information indicating that all candidate waiting positions are occupied by waiting vehicles and therefore the vehicle cannot wait. Furthermore, the waiting environment further includes information regarding the first and second parking facilities PF1 and PF2 provided in the parking lot. The information on the first and second parking facilities PF1, PF2 includes the type of parking facility, the locations of the first and second parking positions Pt1, Pt2, the orientation of the vehicle when entering and exiting, etc. The waiting environment may include information on the priority of multiple candidate waiting locations, i.e., the order in which multiple candidate waiting locations should be used preferentially.

[0031] The route information is information indicating the approach route and exit route of the first parking position Pt1 and information indicating the approach route and exit route of the second parking position Pt2. The parking lot database 53 stores information on the travel routes of vehicles that have previously used the first parking position Pt1 and the travel routes of vehicles that have previously used the second parking position Pt2, based on information transmitted from the management device 70 (described later). The approach route and exit route of the first parking position Pt1 are set by the controller 51 based on the history of the travel routes of vehicles that have previously used the first parking position Pt1. For example, the controller 51 uses a statistical method such as an average or median based on the history of the past travel routes to set routes that are frequently traveled by vehicles when entering and exiting as the approach route and exit route of the first parking position Pt1. The approach route and exit route of the second parking position Pt2 are also set in the same way as the approach route and exit route of the first parking position Pt1.

[0032] The parking lot database 53 may collectively store the driving route history of all vehicles that have used the parking lot, or may store the past driving route history for each vehicle. In this case, the controller 51 may process the driving route history for each vehicle and set the entrance route and exit route for each vehicle to the first and second parking positions Pt1.

[0033] The controller 51 of the server 50 creates and updates parking lot information based on information transmitted from the management device 70, which will be described later.

[0034] The management device 70 shown in FIG. 1 is a device for managing a parking lot. The management device 70 is equipped with a controller, a communication device, and the like, and can collect information related to the parking lot. The management device 70 collects information related to vehicles in use, such as operation information for the operation panels of the first and second parking facilities PF1 and PF2, the presence and location of the first and second vehicles in use Vo1 and Vo2, and whether they are entering or exiting. The management device 70 also collects information related to waiting vehicles, such as the number and location of waiting vehicles. For example, the management device 70 determines that a vehicle that has been parked in the same location for a predetermined period of time is a waiting vehicle. In addition, the management device 70 collects information such as the vehicle's driving route and stopping position within the parking lot so that the server 50 can generate candidate waiting location and route information. The management device 70 acquires this information from cameras and various sensors installed in the parking lot. Alternatively, the management device 70 may acquire this information by communicating with vehicles in the parking lot. The management device 70 transmits the collected information related to the parking lot to the server 50.

[0035] Next, a parking assistance method according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 4. This parking assistance method is executed by the controller 17 of the parking assistance device 10.

[0036] The controller 17 sets a parking position where the host vehicle Vh will be parked (S10). For example, the controller 17 sets the parking position based on information input by the occupant operating the operation unit. Alternatively, if the controller 17 determines that the host vehicle Vh has approached a pre-registered position within a certain distance, the controller 17 may set the pre-registered position as the parking position in step S10. In the following description, it is assumed that the first parking position Pt1 of the first parking facility PF1 shown in FIG. 1 has been set as the parking position.

[0037] The controller 17 acquires parking lot information about the parking lot, including the first parking position Pt1, from the server 50 (S11). As described above, the parking lot information includes waiting information and route information. Based on the waiting information, the controller 17 determines whether or not there are any vehicles using the first and second parking positions Pt1 and Pt2 provided in the parking lot (S12). While FIG. 1 shows first and second vehicles Vo1 and Vo2, there are cases where only the first vehicle Vo1 is used, and cases where only the second vehicle Vo2 is used. If there are any vehicles using the parking lot (S12: YES), the controller 17 performs the process of step S13. If there are no vehicles using the parking lot (S12: NO), the controller 17 performs the process of step S18, which will be described later.

[0038] The controller 17 determines whether the host vehicle Vh can wait based on the waiting information (S13). If the waiting information includes waiting impossibility information, the controller 17 can determine whether the host vehicle Vh can wait based on the unavailability information. Furthermore, the controller 17 may determine that the host vehicle Vh cannot wait if the number of waiting vehicles is equal to or greater than the number of candidate waiting positions, and may determine that the host vehicle Vh can wait if the number of waiting vehicles is less than the number of candidate waiting positions. If the host vehicle Vh can wait (S13: YES), the controller 17 performs the process of step S14. On the other hand, if the host vehicle Vh can wait (S13: YES), the controller 17 performs the process of step S17.

[0039] The controller 17 sets a waiting position for the host vehicle Vh (S14). Prior to setting the waiting position, the controller 17 acquires candidate waiting positions in the parking lot based on the waiting information acquired from the server 50. A parking lot may have only one candidate waiting position or may have multiple candidate waiting positions.

[0040] In addition, if the server 50 manages candidate waiting positions for each vehicle, the controller 17 may acquire candidate waiting positions associated with the host vehicle Vh from the server 50. In addition, if the server 50 holds the history of past actual waiting positions itself as waiting information, the controller 17 may use a statistical method such as an average or a median to set a position where the vehicle frequently waits as a candidate waiting position based on the history of past actual waiting positions.

[0041] A method for setting a waiting position will be described with reference to FIG. 5. First, the controller 17 determines whether the candidate waiting position interferes with the route of the user vehicle (S33). Specifically, the controller 17 determines whether the first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2 are present based on the usage status of the first and second parking positions Pt1 and Pt2 obtained from the server 50. If the first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2 are present, the controller 17 determines the positions of the first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2 and whether the first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2 are entering or exiting the first and second parking positions Pt1 and Pt2.

[0042] In FIG. 1 , the first user vehicle Vo1 is a vehicle entering the first parking position Pt1 of the first parking facility PF1, and the second user vehicle Vo2 is a vehicle exiting the second parking position Pt2 of the second parking facility PF2. The controller 17 refers to the route information acquired from the server 50 and identifies the route for the first user vehicle Vo1 to enter the first parking position Pt1 from its current location. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the first user vehicle Vo1 follows the first entry route Re1 shown below. (1) The first user vehicle Vo1 moves forward while steering to the right from its current location and stops at the first switching position Pr11. (2) The first user vehicle Vo1 moves backward while steering to the left from the first switching position Pr11 and stops at the second switching position Pr12. (3) The first user vehicle Vo1 moves forward while steering to the right from the second turning position Pr12 and stops at the first parking position Pt1. Similarly, the controller 17 refers to the route information acquired from the server 50 and identifies a route for the second user vehicle Vo2 to exit the second parking position Pt2. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the second user vehicle Vo2 follows a second exit route Ro2, which involves moving forward while steering to the left from the second parking position Pt2.

[0043] 1 shows first to third candidate waiting positions Pw1, Pw2, and Pw3. The controller 17 determines whether each candidate waiting position Pw1, Pw2, and Pw3 interferes with the first approach route Re1 and the second exit route Ro2. The controller 17 determines whether there is interference by taking into account the vehicle movement range equivalent to the vehicle width on the first approach route Re1 and the second exit route Ro2. Furthermore, if the controller 17 can obtain the approach routes and exit routes associated with the first and second use vehicles Vo1 and Vo2 from the server 50, the controller 17 may use this vehicle-specific route information to determine whether there is interference.

[0044] 1, none of the first to third candidate waiting positions Pw1, Pw2, and Pw3 interferes with the first entry route Re1 and the second exit route Ro2. In this case, the controller 17 maintains the first to third candidate waiting positions Pw1, Pw2, and Pw3 as they are (S30: NO).

[0045] 6 illustrates an example in which a first user vehicle Vo1 enters a first parking position Pt1 in a first parking facility PF1, and a second user vehicle Vo2 enters a second parking position Pt2 in a second parking facility PF2. The first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2 travel along first and second approach routes Re1 and Re2, respectively. In this situation, the second waiting candidate position Pw2 illustrated in FIG. 1 interferes with the second approach route Re2 of the second user vehicle Vo2 (S30: YES). Therefore, the controller 17 changes the second waiting candidate position Pw2 illustrated in FIG. 1 to a fifth waiting candidate position Pw5 that does not interfere with the first and second approach routes Re1 and Re2 (S31).

[0046] 7 illustrates an example in which a first user vehicle Vo1 exits a first parking position Pt1 in a first parking facility PF1, and a second user vehicle Vo2 enters a second parking position Pt2 in a second parking facility PF2. The first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2 travel along a first exit route Ro1 and a second entry route Re2, respectively. In this situation, the second candidate waiting position Pw2 illustrated in FIG. 1 interferes with the first exit route Ro1 of the first user vehicle Vo1 (S30: YES). Therefore, the controller 17 changes the second candidate waiting position Pw2 illustrated in FIG. 1 to a fifth candidate waiting position Pw5 that does not interfere with the first exit route Ro1 and the second entry route Re2 (S31).

[0047] 8 illustrates an example in which a first user vehicle Vo1 exits a first parking position Pt1 in a first parking facility PF1, and a second user vehicle Vo2 exits a second parking position Pt2 in a second parking facility PF2. The first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2 travel along first and second exit routes Ro1 and Ro2, respectively. In this situation, the second waiting candidate position Pw2 illustrated in FIG. 1 interferes with the first exit route Ro1 of the first user vehicle Vo1 (S30: YES). Therefore, the controller 17 changes the second waiting candidate position Pw2 illustrated in FIG. 1 to a fourth waiting candidate position Pw4 that does not interfere with the first and second entry routes Re1 and Re2 (S31).

[0048] 5, the controller 17 selects one waiting position candidate that has the highest priority among the plurality of waiting position candidate positions (S32), and sets the selected waiting position candidate as the waiting position of the host vehicle Vh.

[0049] The priority of the candidate waiting positions is set in advance by the server 50, taking into consideration factors such as the ease of entering the first parking position Pt1, the time required to park at the first parking position Pt1, and the position of the next waiting vehicle after the host vehicle Vh. Ease of entry means, for example, a small number of steering turns. That is, the server 50 generates parking routes from each of the candidate waiting positions Pw1, Pw2, and Pw3 to the first parking position Pt1, and determines the priority of each candidate waiting position Pw1, Pw2, and Pw3 based on the generated routes. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the priority increases in the order of the third candidate waiting position Pw3, the second candidate waiting position Pw2, and the first candidate waiting position Pw1. Note that the priority of the candidate waiting positions may also be determined by the controller 17. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the controller 17 sets the third candidate waiting position Pw3 as the waiting position for the host vehicle Vh.

[0050] In the examples shown in Figures 6 and 7, the priority increases in the order of the fifth waiting candidate position Pw5, the third waiting candidate position Pw3, and the first waiting candidate position Pw1. In the examples shown in Figures 6 and 7, the controller 17 sets the fifth waiting candidate position Pw5 as the waiting position for the host vehicle Vh. On the other hand, in the example shown in Figure 8, the priority increases in the order of the third waiting candidate position Pw3, the fourth waiting candidate position Pw4, and the first waiting candidate position Pw1. In the example shown in Figure 8, the controller 17 sets the fifth waiting candidate position Pw5 as the waiting position for the host vehicle Vh.

[0051] The above description is based on the assumption that there are no other waiting vehicles at the three candidate waiting positions. If there are other waiting vehicles, a position among the multiple candidate waiting positions where there are no waiting vehicles is set as the waiting position for the host vehicle Vh. In this case, it is preferable to have waiting vehicles wait at the candidate waiting positions with the highest priority in order of arrival at the parking lot, starting with the first waiting vehicle. For example, suppose that the host vehicle Vh arrives at the parking lot when there is one waiting vehicle in the parking lot. In this case, the waiting vehicle that arrived first in the parking lot waits at the candidate waiting position with the highest priority. Since the host vehicle Vh is second in the waiting order, the candidate waiting position with the second highest priority is set as the waiting position. In other words, the controller 17 sets a position among the multiple candidate waiting positions according to the waiting order of the host vehicle Vh as the waiting position for the host vehicle Vh.

[0052] Furthermore, when the first user vehicle Vo1 starts to enter the first parking position Pt1 or the second user vehicle Vo1 starts to exit the second parking position Pt2, there is a possibility that the paths of the user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2 will be obstructed. In this case, it is preferable that the controller 17 selects the waiting candidate position with the highest priority within a range that does not obstruct the paths of the user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2.

[0053] In the above description, the controller 17 uses route information acquired from the server 50. However, the controller 17 may communicate with the first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2 and acquire route information from the first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2. Furthermore, if route information cannot be acquired, the controller 17 may consider the entry route or exit route of the host vehicle Vh to be the route of the first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2.

[0054] 4, the controller 17 starts parking control for the host vehicle Vh at a waiting position (S15). Specifically, the controller 17 generates a driving route for the host vehicle Vh to travel from the current position of the host vehicle Vh to the waiting position based on map information. The controller 17 then compares the map information with the images from the camera 11 and the detection data from the object detection sensor 12 obtained when the host vehicle Vh is actually traveling, thereby causing the host vehicle Vh to autonomously travel along the generated driving route.

[0055] When the host vehicle Vh reaches the waiting position, the controller 17 ends the parking control, and causes the host vehicle Vh to wait at the waiting position (S16).

[0056] On the other hand, if the determination in step S13 is negative, the controller 17 does not set a waiting position for the host vehicle Vh. In this case, the controller 17 issues a notification via the speaker and display provided in the host vehicle Vh that the waiting positions in the parking lot are occupied and that the host vehicle Vh should travel around the parking lot.

[0057] When this series of processes is completed, the controller 17 again performs the process of moving to step S11. When the first user vehicle Vo1 has completed parking at the first parking position Pt1, the waiting vehicle waiting at the waiting position with the highest priority moves to the vicinity of the first parking facility PF1. In this way, when the first user vehicle Vo1 is replaced, the waiting position with the highest priority becomes vacant. Therefore, the waiting vehicle in the parking lot moves to the waiting position with the higher priority. Accordingly, the controller 17 sets the waiting position with the higher priority as the new waiting position and performs the processes of steps S11 to S16.

[0058] When the first user vehicle Vo1 completes parking while the host vehicle Vh is waiting at the highest priority waiting position (waiting position), a negative determination is made in step S12. The controller 17 starts parking control for the first parking position Pt1 (S18). Specifically, the controller 17 generates a driving route for the host vehicle Vh to travel from the current position of the host vehicle Vh to the first parking position Pt1 based on map information. The controller 17 then compares the map information with the images from the camera 11 and the detection data from the object detection sensor 12 obtained when the host vehicle Vh is actually traveling, thereby causing the host vehicle Vh to autonomously travel along the generated driving route.

[0059] When the host vehicle Vh reaches the first parking position Pt1, the controller 17 ends the parking control (S19).

[0060] As described above, the parking assistance method of this embodiment sets a parking position to be used by the host vehicle Vh, acquires waiting information regarding candidate waiting positions where the host vehicle Vh can wait around the first parking position Pt1 and the waiting environment in which the host vehicle Vh will wait for parking from the server 50, which stores information, and sets a waiting position in which the host vehicle Vh will wait based on the waiting information. According to this method, the controller 17 can set the waiting position of the host vehicle Vh based on the waiting information. Because the waiting information includes information about the candidate waiting positions and the waiting environment, the controller 17 can dynamically set the waiting position of the host vehicle Vh. This allows the waiting position of the host vehicle Vh to be set to an appropriate position, enabling smooth parking.

[0061] In the parking assistance method of this embodiment, the waiting environment includes information on whether or not a vehicle is using the first and second parking positions Pt1, Pt2, and the locations of waiting vehicles waiting to use the first and second parking positions Pt1, Pt2. The controller 17 sets a position among the multiple waiting candidate positions where there is no waiting vehicle as the waiting position for the host vehicle Vh. According to this method, the host vehicle Vh can be waited at an empty waiting candidate position in the parking lot without overlapping with a waiting vehicle already in the parking lot.

[0062] In the parking assistance method of this embodiment, the server 50 stores information about candidate waiting positions that are set based on actual waiting positions where vehicles that have previously used the first parking position Pt1 have actually waited. According to this method, the controller 17 can set a waiting position that is appropriate for the actual usage of the parking lot by referring to the past actual waiting positions.

[0063] In the parking assistance method of this embodiment, the waiting environment includes the positions of the first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2 using the first and second parking positions Pt1 and Pt2. The controller 17 sets the waiting position of the host vehicle Vh at a position that does not interfere with the approach routes used by the first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2 to enter the parking positions or the exit routes used by the user vehicles to exit the parking positions. This method avoids interference between the first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2 and the host vehicle Vh, thereby enabling smooth parking. In this embodiment, the controller 17 determines interference based on route information distributed from the server 50. However, the controller 17 may communicate with the first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2 and obtain route information from the first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2. Alternatively, if route information cannot be obtained, the controller 17 may estimate the routes of the first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2 and determine interference based on the estimated routes. The route is estimated by regarding the approach route or the exit route of the host vehicle Vh as the routes of the first and second user vehicles Vo1 and Vo2.

[0064] In the parking assistance method of this embodiment, the waiting environment includes information on the order of priority of use among multiple candidate waiting positions. The controller 17 sets a position among the multiple candidate waiting positions according to the waiting order of the host vehicle Vh as the waiting position for the host vehicle Vh. This method allows vehicles to wait in the order in which they arrived at the parking lot. This allows each vehicle to proceed with parking in an orderly manner, even when multiple vehicles are waiting in the parking lot.

[0065] In the parking assistance method of this embodiment, if a candidate waiting position included in the waiting information is occupied by another vehicle, the controller 17 will not set a waiting position for the vehicle until the candidate waiting position becomes available. This method makes it possible to avoid guiding more vehicles than can wait into the parking lot. This allows for smooth parking even when the parking lot is crowded with multiple vehicles.

[0066] In the parking assistance method of this embodiment, the actual waiting position is set based on the position where the vehicle using the parking position has been stopped for a predetermined period of time or more. This method makes it possible to appropriately set the actual waiting position without being affected by temporary stops, etc.

[0067] In the above-described embodiment, the controller 17 sets the waiting position based on the possible waiting positions acquired from the server 50. However, the waiting information transmitted from the server 50 may include information specifying the waiting position at which the host vehicle Vh will wait, among the candidate waiting positions. With this configuration, the server 50 can centrally manage the waiting positions of waiting vehicles.

[0068] In the above-described embodiment, the server 50 manages information about the entire parking lot, including the first and second parking positions Pt1 and Pt2. However, the server 50 may store waiting information for each parking position. This allows waiting vehicles to be managed for each parking position.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the host vehicle Vh uses the first parking position Pt1. However, the parking assistance method according to this embodiment can also be applied to a situation where the host vehicle Vh uses the second parking position Pt2.

[0070] In the above-described embodiment, the controller 17 automatically drives the host vehicle Vh to the set standby position by using the parking control function. However, the controller 17 does not have to have the parking control function. In this case, the controller 17 may simply guide the driver to the standby position by displaying information about the set standby position on a display or the like.

[0071] Also included in this embodiment is the parking assistance device 10, which includes a communication device 15 that communicates with the server 50 and a controller 17. The controller 17 performs the parking assistance method described above. Similarly, this embodiment also includes a program that causes a computer to execute the parking assistance method described above, and a computer-readable recording medium that stores this program. With this parking assistance device 10, program, and recording medium, the waiting position of the host vehicle Vh is set to an appropriate position, allowing for smooth parking.

[0072] In the above-described embodiment, a mechanical parking system is exemplified as a facility having parking spaces. However, the parking assistance method of this embodiment can be applied to facilities where multiple vehicles take turns using parking spaces, such as drive-through parking spaces in a store or parking spaces for refueling in a gas station.

[0073] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the descriptions and drawings that form part of this disclosure should not be understood to limit the present invention. Various alternative embodiments, examples, and operating techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

[0074] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Parking assistance device 11 Camera 12 Object detection sensor 13 GPS receiver 14 Status sensor 15 Communication device 16 Actuator 17 Controller 50 Server 51 Controller 52 Communication device 53 Parking lot database 70 Management device

Claims

1. A parking assistance method executed by a controller provided in a parking assistance device that assists in parking into a parking position, the parking assistance method comprising: setting the parking position to be used by the vehicle; acquiring waiting information regarding candidate waiting positions around the parking position where the vehicle can wait and the waiting environment for waiting for parking from an external device that stores information; and setting the waiting position where the vehicle will wait based on the waiting information.

2. The parking assistance method according to claim 1, wherein the waiting environment includes information on whether or not there is a vehicle using the parking position and the location of a waiting vehicle waiting to use the parking position, and a location among a plurality of candidate waiting positions where there is no waiting vehicle is set as the waiting position for the vehicle.

3. The parking assistance method according to claim 2, wherein the external device stores information relating to the plurality of candidate waiting positions that are set based on actual waiting positions where vehicles that have previously used the parking position have actually waited.

4. A parking assistance method as described in claim 2, wherein the waiting environment includes the position of a vehicle using the parking position, and the waiting position of the vehicle is set at a position that does not interfere with an approach route for the vehicle to enter the parking position or an exit route for the vehicle to exit the parking position.

5. A parking assistance method as described in claim 2, wherein the waiting environment includes information on the order in which the plurality of candidate waiting positions should be used with priority, and a position among the plurality of candidate waiting positions corresponding to the waiting order of the vehicle is set as the waiting position of the vehicle.

6. A parking assistance method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, if the candidate waiting position is occupied by another vehicle, the waiting position of the subject vehicle is not set until the candidate waiting position becomes vacant.

7. The parking assistance method according to claim 3, wherein the actual waiting position is set based on a position where the vehicle using the parking position has been stopped for a predetermined period of time or more.

8. A parking assistance method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, when there are a plurality of parking positions, the external device stores the waiting information for each of the parking positions.

9. A parking assistance device that assists in parking into a parking position, comprising: a communication device that communicates with an external device that stores information; and a controller, wherein the controller sets the parking position to be used by the vehicle; acquires from the external device waiting information regarding candidate waiting positions where the vehicle can wait around the parking position and waiting environments for waiting for parking; and sets a waiting position where the vehicle will wait based on the waiting information.

10. A program that causes a computer to execute the following steps: set a parking position to be used by the vehicle; acquire waiting information regarding candidate waiting positions around the parking position where the vehicle can wait and the waiting environment for waiting for parking from an external device that stores information; and set a waiting position where the vehicle will wait based on the waiting information.

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